Sanitary car-hopper



N. KROHN.

SANITARY CAR HOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZB, 1916. RENEWED JUNE 22, i918. 1,343,730, Patented June 15, 1920.

UNITED STATtzES Param cette NELSON KROI'IN, QF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNR- TO THE ADAMS c VVESTLAKE COMPANY, A, CORPR'IION OF ILLINOIS.

SANITARY CAR-HOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pdtenid Juri@ 15, 192i),

Application led. lMay 26, 1916, Serial No. 92,951. Renewed .Tune 22. 1918. Serial No. 241,436.

Y 1o all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NELSON KROHN, a citizen of the United States7 residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Car-Hoppers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lavatory or closet hoppers and has particular reference to the forms of construction employable by railway car constructors. The object of the present invention is to simplify the construction, make more certain the operation, reduce the cost, and make installations and repairs of these hoppers and valve operating parts less complicated. Another particular object of this invention is to aid the water flush with an air flush to meet the peculiar conditions attending hoppers exposed to the air currents and air vortexes produced by a fast moving train which has made it difficult to prevent soil adhering to spaces between the usual bowl and the floor-supported hopper or base portion. I apply the water flush in the usual manner through the hollow rim of the bowl portion and the air flush about the exterior of the lower outlet end of the bowl.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure l is a side elevation partly in section and partly broken away of my improved hopper and bowl and the air and water flushing mechanisms connected therewith.

'Fig'. 2 is a section taken on line X-X Fig. 3, a section taken on line Y-Y, and Fig. 4, a section taken on line ZZ of Fig. 1, on a reduced scale.v

In the several views the improvement in the hopper body construction resides in castingl the bowl-portion 2 and floor stand portion 3 in one piece with a contracted outlet portion in the form of a flange 4 which is a continuation of the bowl portion 2 projecting into the portion 3 provided with a flange 5 resting on the floor .6 in the usual way. The upper edge of the .bowl 2 is inwardly rolled to provide the usual water channel or trough 3 into which the flushing water is introduced tangentially from the source of supply (not shown) and under more or less pressure. The usual open seat 9 and cover l0 therefor arerboth pivoted as at 11 to a lug ll2 on the body ci the hopper cr its upper bowl portion 2. The pipe leading from a source of water supply to the yalve mechanism for the flushing operation is indicated by the numeral 13 as a broken off pipe section. Said pipe is connected to a valve casing` 14 through the medium of a hub 15 on the casing onto which a collar 16 with an inwardly projecting flange l? is threaded. 0n the pipe 13 is van outwardly projecting flange 18 between which and the fiange 17 a packing ring 19 is interposed. The lower end of the valve casing` has the form of a hub 2O which has threaded `connection with a connecting sleeve 21 which couples the hub 2O to a pipe bend or elbow 22 leading into the channel 8 and which may be connected in any usual or approved manner. The valve casing 14 has a lateral bulge or enlargement 23 in which is a valvestemmoving crank-arm 24 that is secured to a short shaft 25 suitably mounted in the walls oi the casing portion 23 and connected at 26 pivotally to Va valve stem 27. On the saine shaft 25, but exteriorly of the casing portion 23, is secured an operating lever 28,*the load end of which is pivoted at 29 to a connecting rod 30 pivoted at 3l toa crank 32 that is secured to the outer end of a shaft 33, which7 like the shaft 25. is mounted in the walls of a valve case 34 on which is an inlet hub 35 and an outlet hub 36 for an air-flushing current. Within the casing; 34 and secured to the shaft 33 is a hub 3'? that carries a curved valve stem 38 with a valve or ball 39 closing an opening or valve seat 40 and controlling the passage between the inlet hub 35 and outlet hub 36. Into the hub 35 is threaded an air nozzle 4l on which is an end flange 42 which bears against the end of the hub 35 and into which is threaded an air pipe 43 which may be connected with any suitable source of air under pressure, as with the aii1 brake air cylinders of a car. Into the outlet hub 36 is threaded one end of a nipple or short pipe section 44 withl which an air pipe 45 is connected for slidable adjustment. On the nipple 44 is an eX- terior flange .46 which may have parallel sides to adapt it for engagement with a wrench. A. slip joint collar 46 with an inturned. flange 47 is threaded onto the other end of the nipple and between'said flange andthe end of the nipple a packing` 4S is interposed to make the joint fiuid tight. The lower end ci the pipe 45 Vis connected with eration, as will more fully be pointed outV hereinafter. Y

' `Rei'erring, liist, to the water-flush valvemechanism connected with the casing 14,51 is a collar shrunk or otherwise secured onto the valve stein 27. On this collari'ests aV valve or valve opening plug 52 controlling a seat or opening 53 between the inlet pipe A13 and the outlet hub '2O of the casing 14. 0n the valve 52 isV a ring or washer 54 which serves as an end thrust bearing for a short sleeve 55 mounted on the stem 27. On said' stem and supported by the upper end of the sleeve is another washer 56 betweenV which and a .second like' washer 57v is held a dislied rubber or fiber disk 58. per end of the stem 27 is threaded and carries a nut 59 which holds the parts mounted on the stem in assembled relation between the nut and the collar 51. lVithin the stem 27 is an. axial bore 60 the ends of which lead into horizontal bores 61 and 62 communicating with the space within the casing 14. The normal volume of flow through the bores 60, 61 and 62 is modilied by means of a screw 63 which has threaded engagement with a threaded' bore in the upper end of the Vstein which is substantially a threaded end portion of the bere 60. rlhe screw 63 `is arranged to have its lower end 64 projected partially across the bore 62 to restrict toV the required extent the passage therethrough, which passage affords a limited opening between the water always under pressure in pipe 13 and above the valve 52 with the spa-ce in the casing 14 that is back of the piston composed olf disks 56, 57 and On the upper end of the casing '14, which is cylindrical, is cap V65 which is threaded into the upper end of the casing so that it may be conveniently removed or longitudinally adjustedv to Vary the pressure of -a .spring 66 the upper end of which bears against the cap and the lower end of which bears against the ring for washer 57. The

Vcap has a .flange between which and the casing 14 a suitable packing Aring (not shown) may be placed, if necessary. Y

Depending' from the Yair casing 34, and preferably an integral. part thereof, is .a piston cylinder `67 in the upper end Vozfwhich is a small bore 68V which .places the interior of the cylinder in communication .with the interior of the casing-34 and the air `pipe 43. The lower end of the cylinder is closed by a cap 69 vwhich is screw-threaded onto the cylinder and is provided with a bore 70 for a Ypiston rod 71 .witha reduced and Vthreaded upper end 71 carrying a .piston head consisting of a disk or washer 72, a.

similar and somewhat smaller disk 3., and

The upa leather or fiber disk 74 held between the metal disks .by means of a nut 75 which has threaded engagement with the upper end 71 of the rod 71. Between the cap 69 and the cylinder 67 a packing ring 76 is interposed as a cushion contact for an annular flange 72 formed on the bottom side of the disk 72. The cap 69 has an innerv fiange 70 between which and vthe outer Vflange of the cap is placed a packing washei' 76 which prevents frictional Contact of the latter with the piston rod 71.

The usual receiving or d ump pan 77% for railway carpurposesis herein shown as made oit' two bowl-shaped sheets of metal, preferably brass, the upper and shallower one having a flange 77 which engages the lower part and is secured thereto in any suitable manner. The flange 77 is secured to a hub 78 (indicated by dotted lines) secured to a shaft 79 suitably mounted inlop-V posite sides of the Vhollowgbase portion 3. One end ofthe shaft projects to the outside of the part 3'and has on its projecting portion a hub 80 carrying a crank arm with a slot 81 in its free end that is engaged by a wrist-pin 82 on the piston rod 71.

y There being water under pressure in theV casing 14 and air under pressure in the casings 34 and 67, when the lever 28 is swung down .the valve 52 will be opened to admit water into the bowl and simultaneously by reason of the connecting rod 3() the air valve 39 will swing away from its seation the pivot 33 causing a rush of air through the pipe 45 into the annular space `50V and around the pan to counteract the upward draft from below the floor whichV has caused much Yannoyance to railway voperators on aC- -rount of the problem of eliminating odors in the car emanating from .the lavatory and to sweep away from the'wall of the base any lilth which might be thrown against it. The air suction created in the casing-.34 will force up the piston on the stem or rod 71 and by rotating the axis .of the pan. 77 it will be, tilted and dumped. Instantaneous return of the lever when released by the operator is prevented, andthe water and air valves held open .the required durationof time, by reason of the water above ,the piston 56, 57 and 58 having been forced .out partly through the Yby-pass162, 601and 61 in opening the valve 52. The closing vmovement of the valve occurs only the upper chamber ,in the casing 14 is refilled through the restricted passage. rlhe speed of return to closed position of the air and water valves is regulated by means of the screw 63V con-l trolling the volume or rate of flow of water thatis Vreturned to the cylinder 14 `above .its piston after therlever 2S has been released by the manipulator of it. The closing of the air valve 39 will change the suc- .tion Vupward through 4the opening l6,8 into a downward air pressure upon the piston on the stein 71 and swing the pan back to normal position on its axis 80. So far as operation of the pan 77 is concerned the effect would be substantially the saine it4 the rods 7l. and 27 are joined either by pivoting them together' or in that event suitably alining the parts. Hence iny improvements have provided a water valve construction that is adapted to operate the pan.

By mounting my restraining piston on the valve or on my upward extension of the valve stem, l obviate thecommon ditticulty experienced with separate piston chambers and pistons having a' lever or other connection with the valve stem, namely, the drying out oi the fibrous or leather portion of the Apiston head, which in he present instance includes, substantially, the disks 56, 57 and 5S and their retaining nut 59. Looseness oi the friction portion ot the piston also causes a shortening of the lite ot the valve 52, which then will be seated violently or hammer its seat.

During the opening movement of' the valve 52 part of the water may escape past the'edges of the leather of fiber disk 57 from the buffer space above the piston, but as the return movement tends to press the edges or the disk against the sides of the cylinder the return lmovement will be restricted to the extent that the vacuum above the piston is relieved through the by-pass G0, 6l and 62. This replacement of vacuum is, of course, always uniform and subject to positive control through the medium of the screw 63. It the return to the valve seat of the valve 52 is too rapid, and the prolongation ot flushing accordingly insuflicient, projecting the inner end or point 6tloit the screw farther into the ley-pass will retard the seating of the valve and prolong the flow of the flushing stream.

While an operative and preferred form of construction is disclosed, various changes of detail may be made without. departing from its scope. I do not limit myself to the einployment of air as the 'means for 'flushing the base, as any suitable fluid may be used.

Having thus described my invention, l claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

l. The combination with a closet hopper having a bowl portion and a base portion, oi means for watentlushing said howl portion, and means for air flushing said base portion beneath said bowl portion.

2. The combination with a closet hopper having an upper bowl portion and a lower base portion, of a tilting pan under said bowl portion, means for water iiushing said bowl portion, and means Jfor air `finishing and air-actuating said pan.

3. The combination with a closet hopper having a channeled bowl 'lf'or water flushing, and a channeled base for air flushing, of a pan in said hase, and means operable by a single lever for water'flushing said bowl, air flushing said base around the pan and for tilting said pan.

4. rhe combination with a closet hopper comprising a' liowland a base, ofa pivoted pan underneath said bowl, and means for pneumatically actuating said pan and at the saine time creating a current of air around said pan.

5. |the combination with a closet hopper comprising a bowl and base therefor, of a pivoted dumping pan, a piston-operated device for dumping said pan and restoring it to normal position under said bowl, an air conduit leading to the exterior of said pan, and a single valve controlling the flow of air through said air conduit and the movement of the piston-operated device.

6. The combination with a closet hopper, of a valve controlled water conduit leading to the upper portion of said hopper, an aircontrolled dumping pan, pneumatic means for operating same, an air conduit leading to the exterior of said pan, an air valve controlling the flow through the latter conduit, and means causing said air valve to control said pneumatic means.

7. The combination with a closet hopper having a pivoted dump pan underneath the bowl portion of said hopper, and with the valve-controlled flushing conduit for said hopper and bowl, of a flush-operating lever, a piston cylinder, a piston-rod or stem movable loy said lever, a piston on said rod or stem movable in said cylinder, a valve on said rod or stem controlling said flushing conduit, means for retarding the movements of said valve and piston, and means operating in conjunction with the movements of said valve and piston, for operating said dump pan.

8. In a. closet hopper, in combination, a bowl portion, a base portion, means for water flushing`said bowl portion, means for introducing a jet of air tangentially into v:aid base portion.

9. The combination, in a hopper closet, of a bowl section and a base section, the bottom of the bowl having the form of an annular flange depending into and being of less diameter' than the base section, and means for introducing a jet of air tangentially into the space inclosed between such flange and the wall of the base.

l0. In a closet hopper, in combination, a base portion, a bowl portion whose outer wall forms a continuation upward of said base portion and having a. downwardly extending annular lip projecting into the hase tending annular lip projecting into the base portion forming an annular recess in the upper portion of the base portion, means for l0 flushing said bowltportion, and means for introducing a jet of air tangentially into said annular recess.

In testimony whereof IV have hereunto signed my name.

NELSON KRoHN. 

